Publications

Over the years, Saudi-Iranian relations have seen numerous ups and downs. This Brief tells the story of their rocky relationship in their own words, starting with the crowning of Saudi Arabia’s first king in 1924 and continuing up until today's latest developments.

‘Moves by the EU to work towards reforming the UNSC would help this important universal organisation (based on the rule of law) play a truly global role.’

‘...Russia is making regular incursions into the airspace and waters of northern member states. There is no denying that Russia’s behaviour towards the EU’s eastern flank is growing ever more belligerent.’

‘...policymakers must adopt a new, flexible and dynamic approach to security based on the model of a ‘pulsating organisation’ – a set of rules and procedures enabling rapid and effective crisis response.’

‘...the EU must develop a new paradigm capable of changing the conditions and cost-benefit calculations of millions of refugees wherever they are...’

With the suspicion that two newly-registered refugees carried out the November Paris attacks, this Alert explores – and debunks – fears that refugee flows from the Middle East have become a backchannel for terrorists entering Europe.

One common assumption has been that refugees are leaving camps in Jordan and Lebanon due to difficult conditions and moving on through Turkey into the EU. But because of the northward shift of the Syrian conflict, the reality is somewhat different.

‘...Europe needs confidence in itself. Foreign policy cannot be the product of a technocratic process; it must be the expression of a human community.’

‘...the EU may be stuck in – or even be addicted to – a culture of ‘crisis management’. By constantly reacting to problems, the EU is unable to develop any real capacity for strategic thinking.’

‘Above all, the strategy review should avoid the temptation to engage with an ever-widening scope of EU foreign policy...’